Written by Robert D. Sollars
After the end of the uproar over domestic violence (DV) controversy with the major sports leagues, which seems to happen every year, and the 2% of players who committed DV and were actually arrested, there was a huge outcry for many of the sponsors of those leagues to stop advertising on the games, stadiums, & so on. Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi, & at least a dozen stated they were actually considering stopping their partnership with them.
This is absolute bullshit for them to do it. Does it make sense for them to do this for publicity purposes and to ‘smell good’ to the public? Of course, it does! Does it make sense from a business standpoint? Since good PR, business decisions, along with advertising are virtually inseparable, probably.
But this is where the hypocrisy comes into play. I’ll ask you just one question on this; how many of the companies who threatened to drop their sponsorship of those leagues would do the same to their employees if they were arrested on a charge of DV?
In other words, how many employees of Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi, and the others were suspended or terminated before they went to court and were found guilty or innocent? I will say that unless it was a totally heinous act committed in public, probably none.
Then of course there was the outcry from female legislators in Washington D.C. calling an outright boycott of those leagues, games, broadcasts, & products for the same reason. They wanted to NFL to automatically suspend players who were suspected of DV as well as boycott the sponsors.
Did I think that in this country we were innocent until proven guilty? But according to public opinion, we are now guilty until proven innocent…almost like China, Russia, or Myanmar. At least where a public crime is spotlighted. Or is that the issue, spotlighting an issue and then convicting someone without trial?
I will not condone anyone being convicted of DV. Whether that abuse comes from emotional, mental, verbal, or physical abuse. It is a crime that shouldn’t occur, but being realistic it does and will continue. However, what I am against is the summary ‘execution’ of someone who is accused of it!
In the case of Ray Rice (former defensive lineman of the Baltimore Ravens), there is ample evidence of said DV. With Adrian Pedersen (former running back of the Minnesota Vikings) there is adequate evidence to show child abuse, but as with the other cases that have occurred and players being charged, we should wait and let justice take its course.
Am I a football fan? Yes, I am…sometimes far too much for my wife & girlfriend. The weekends are the time I wish for because of football. From 0700 until 2200 on both Saturday and Sunday. Will I defend abusers or any wrongdoers? Absolutely not. I will call out anyone who does something wrong, no matter what it is. So don’t lump me with others who ‘blindly’ defend sports leagues. Football is my favorite sport and pastime, but I am a security professional and know-how and what to look at.
Contact: Sollars Violence Prevention Training & Consulting
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Copyright 2021 Robert D. Sollars
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